Erling Haaland's remarkable scoring streak could be halted not by Ipswich Town's defense but by his own manager's rotation plans, as Manchester City prepare for Saturday's Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium.

The Norwegian striker has been in red-hot form, finding the net in seven consecutive appearances for City, a run that has helped keep the club at the top of the table. However, question marks now surround his involvement against Ipswich after the Italian manager suggested that squad rotation is on the horizon for several key players, Haaland included.

Speaking at Friday's pre-match press conference, the manager acknowledged the heavy workload being carried by certain individuals this season, explaining that rest periods may soon become necessary.

"At some point we probably need to give him rest, some days off," the manager said. "We are thinking about this not just with Erling because we have players, unfortunately or fortunately, they are playing all the games with us and all the games with the international teams. Elliot [Anderson], Enzo [Fernandez], Marc [Guehi], Erling, Ruben [Dias] - so at some point we probably need to give them some rest."

Despite these comments, it would be something of a surprise if the decision to rest Haaland came against Ipswich this weekend. Many observers believe the more logical opportunity for such a move would arrive later in the month, with City set to host AEK Athens in the Champions League on October 20 - a fixture that may be seen as less demanding than a top-flight battle against Premier League opposition.

Should Haaland be given time off regardless, City are not short of options to fill the void up front. Antoine Semenyo has shown he is capable of operating as a central striker, while Phil Foden has previous experience playing as a false nine, a role he took on at times under former manager Pep Guardiola.

The composition of City's starting eleven for the Ipswich match will be confirmed at 1:45pm BST on Saturday, just over an hour before kick-off at 3pm. A victory would allow City to move six points clear at the top of the table, at least temporarily, underlining the significance of the fixture even as rotation talk swirls around the squad.

Haaland's consistency in front of goal has been one of the defining features of City's campaign so far, and any extended absence would represent a notable shift in the team's attacking approach. Nevertheless, the club's strength in depth means Maresca has credible alternatives to call upon, even if none offer quite the same guarantee of goals that the Norwegian has provided.

As City look to maintain their position at the summit of English football, balancing the demands of a congested fixture list with the need to keep their talisman fresh for crucial European nights will remain a delicate challenge throughout the season. For now, all eyes will be on team news ahead of kick-off to see whether Haaland's remarkable scoring run continues or whether he is given a rare breather against Ipswich.

Based on reporting from Standard Sport (football).